Children as young as five should be allowed to have their own smartphones if parents set clear boundaries, since early exposure teaches digital responsibility better than banning screens altogether. When I gave my daughter a basic phone at six, she learned to manage screen time and ignore scams quickly, but I've also seen neighbors' kids sneak tablets because strict rules backfired. True, some research links heavy use to attention issues, yet controlled access with age-appropriate apps seems to build healthier habits than deprivation, doesn't it?